Love Burns
by moonchic1023
Summary: One-shot. Killian and Emma have a brief discussion about one of the greatest television shows of all time. Captain Swan. And Spuffy too, I guess. ;)


**_A/N: Great, another fandom has sucked me in. And I think I can see some of the reasons why…_**

Just a little one shot reflecting some of my OUAT musings and my first hat thrown in the OUAT fanfic arena. Reviews are appreciated.

Set following "Quiet Minds", but before "The Jolly Roger". Captain Swan. And technically, Spuffy too. ;)

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"Bloody hell, woman! Are you unable to see that he truly loves you?!"

Hearing the frustration in the familiar accented voice, Emma paused before opening the door to the Charming's apartment.

"Who in the world is he talking to?" she mused. She knew that Hook had been guarding her pregnant mother this morning ("I do not need babysitters!" insisted Mary Margaret, but after pointed looks at her growing belly, she had been overruled by everyone present) but she had just left Henry with David and Mary Margaret at the diner. Emma wasn't thrilled when she discovered from them that Hook would likely still be at the apartment ("Finishing up some research," Mary Margaret had said with a smile) but she needed a shower and some fresh clothes, so she resigned herself to having to deal with him, his constant innuendo, his smirk when he would catch her thinking about their Neverland kiss, and her very conflicted feelings in the wake of Neal's death.

Wondering what she was walking in on, Emma steeled herself and opened the door to find…a very agitated Captain Hook muttering angrily to himself as paced in front of the television. The television that was, if Emma was correct from her glance, playing an old episode of _Buffy the Vampire Slayer_.

"Ridiculous woman…ridiculous wo_men_," he emphasized, still unaware of his company.

"Um, hello?" Emma began tentatively. She still wasn't sure what was happening.

Snapping his head away, the Captain finally caught sight of the confused blonde. "Ah, Emma," he cleared his throat and took a moment to compose himself, "I apologize for you catching me unaware. As it is, David came a short time ago to collect Mary Margaret for dining. I elected to remain and continue studying the historic chronicles of another warrior's adventures against dark magic, in the hopes that it would aid us in our own situation."

"You're watching _Buffy_ in hopes of learning how to stop the Wicked Witch?" Emma couldn't help but raise an incredulous eyebrow.

"So you've heard of the adventures of Miss Elizabeth Summers? But I should not be surprised. She hails from your realm after all, though from a far away corner called 'California.' Mary Margaret helped me discern its location on a map of this country. Sadly, I think it too far away to go search for her and ask for her assistance in our own matters."

Still not quite believing what she was hearing, Emma pressed further. "So you want to go to Sunnydale and find Buffy and ask her what to do?" She then giggled at her own inside joke. "What would Buffy do?"

He gave her a dark look. "I see no harm in asking for outside council. Miss Summer's experiences, though unique, do have interesting parallels to our own. For her people, she is the Chosen One, the only person capable of fighting and defeating the evil that threatens her lands. I think that sounds very similar to your role, does it not, _Savior_?"

Emma stopped giggling and glared at him. "How did you even start watching this, anyway?"

"Mary Margaret and I have been viewing it during each of my watches over her. She introduced me to it. When I mentioned she may put her time to better use by resting so as not to upset her delicate condition, she explained that this television," he gestured to the box with a bit of distaste, " was not just for entertainment purposes, but could actually be viewed as medium of conveying history and information and invited me to halt my current researching methods," Emma saw the table full of books and charts that David had been pouring through, looking for ways to protect his family from the witch, "and try this as an alternative. She was quite pleased that this particular chronicle was being shown as a 'marathon' and has instructed me on how to wield this control in order to capture the entire chronicle for viewing," he stated, holding out the remote. "I have to admit, the Chosen One's story has been particularly compelling. She has fire and strength," his eyes glossed over a bit as his voice intoned hints of reverence, "I find that the time just slips by while Mary Margaret and I debate different points of the Slayer's strategy and decisions, both in her battle plans and in her per—," he stopped suddenly, as if embarrassed by his train of thought.

There was no way Emma could continue her glare now. Captain Hook sounded like a total fangirl! It sounded as if Mary Margaret had been exasperated over having a babysitter hover over her and had tricked Hook into getting addicted to _Buffy the Vampire Slayer _reruns. She started giggling again as she thought of him, in his traditional attire, attending a Comic Con in hopes of finding Buffy Summers to ask for her help while trying to conceal his crush.

"Do you find this amusing, Miss Swan?"

"A little," she admitted with a smile.

Annoyed, Hook decided to bait her a bit.

"I fail to see why you find this humorous. Perhaps if you would have paid more attention to Miss Summer's plights, you would have more insight into your own."

"Oh really? How so? How is this vampire slayer's life choices going to help me deal with the reality of what's going on in Storybrooke?

"There are just so many similarities, Miss Swan. Besides that of being a Chosen One or a Savior, you even have the same initials. Emma Swan, Elizabeth Summers. E and S."

"Oh that is so compelling!" Emma rolled her eyes.

"If you'll let me continue…" She just graced him with a bored look. "As I was saying, so many similarities, like how her first love runs away from her in order to 'protect' her…" Her bored look changed back into the glare. "Oh, I agree, Swan. Poor form on his part. But he is, as one of the brilliant men in the Slayer's company puts it, a 'poofter'." Hook then moved closer to Emma, invading her space. She immediately noticed how her body warmed in his presence and began to hum, but ignored his challenging posture.

"Oh boy, she's got a crappy ex-boyfriend. There is _no_ woman in this realm who doesn't have one of those," she countered.

"Aye, perhaps, Emma, but she also has another member of her guard." He leaned in closer, and began to speak softly, suggestively, in her ear. "A former rogue, if you will, willing to reform because of his feelings for her. After a few errors of judgment and misplaced allegiance, he decides to join her cause, bringing his great skill and strength to her group. After proving himself to her, she even allows him to protect her greatest treasure, her younger sister. He confesses his love for her, but she rebuffs him, even though we can see she has longing in her eyes, though confusion in her heart." He leaned in even closer. "He even has a English accent and an impressive black leather coat. Sound familiar?"

He abruptly stepped back leaving Emma, who hadn't even realized she had been leaning in towards hypnotic deep voice, stumbling off her balance. Hook snorted and she attempted another glare, though she realized her body missed his proximity. "Damn him," she thought.

As if reading her thoughts, he smirked in victory. "Now if you'll excuse me, I am off to find sustenance and perhaps a bit of rum for myself now that my guard duty has finished. I do not suppose you would care to join me for a drink or…more…would you love?" He gave her that impish grin that made her want to kiss and punch him at the same time.

"In your dreams, Hook."

"Always, Swan," he cheekily confirmed, as he strode away, chuckling.

She turned and yelled in his direction, "It's fiction, you know. Buffy. Not truth. It's just a story."

Still walking, he replied, "That's what you thought we were too, love, once upon a time. Now you know better. Stories can be real."

She hesitates, but then calls out, "He burns up in the end. His love for her ends up getting him killed." There is fear evident in her normally confident voice.

Killian Jones stops at that, though he doesn't turn around. "'The course of true love never did run smooth.' Love always burns, in one way or another," he stated, resigned.

He walked away again as Emma stared at his retreating figure, wondering how similar her story would be.


End file.
